Cleric condemns beheading

[BaysideLiberal]

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

July 24, 2004


NAJAF, Iraq - Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, who led an uprising against U.S. forces, condemned militants on Friday who have beheaded foreigners in Iraq in the last several months.

Leading Friday prayers for the first time in two months at the Kufa mosque south of Baghdad, al-Sadr denounced militants from the rival Sunni Muslim faction who have claimed to have cut off the heads of at least three foreigners since April. "We condemn what some people are doing regarding the beheading of prisoners and it is illegal according to Islamic law," al-Sadr said. "Anybody doing this is a criminal and we will punish him according to Islamic law."

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/world/ny-woiraq243905424jul24,0,4070260.story?coll=ny-worldnews-headlines

[DeaconBlues]

1. Sadr's just playing tit for tat

He was allowed to have his newspaper back, so now he's speaking out against the Sunni insurgents.

Weren't we supposed to kill him or put him in jail or something? Now he's becoming our bosom buddy.

[pinerow]

4. If you read the quote correctly, you can see that it does not make him

our 'bosom buddy'...Shia's and Sunni's do not make it a habit of uniting for anything. Islamic law is pretty specific about mutilations (much like the Talmud). The cleric, however, apparently is trying to exploit his 'repatriation' and possibly appeal to the so-called mainstream Shia community.

[louis-t]

11. No, he's speaking out aganst HIS rivals

the Sunnis. Kind of like Repugs saying "We think it's terrible that Saddam tortured people."

[Renew Deal]

2. Islamic law is almost scarier than random beheadings

and if Iraq goes to Islamic law, we have an unstable, oppressive, religious state like Northern Nigeria, old Afghanistan or worse.

[IndianaGreen]

3. If you don't want Islamic law in Iraq, put Saddam back in charge

The idiots that got us into this war knew, or should have known, that removing Saddam and his Baathists would have opened the door to all of the religious wackos that Saddam had crushed in the past.

How many of our elected leaders condemned Bush when the invasion of Iraq began?

[Aidoneus]

6. Such a broad subject to speak thusly on

I don't suppose elaboration will improve matters, but could you explain a bit? Perhaps citing specific topics from any the various legal schools of thought on the subject..

[Renew Deal]

7. No

look it up yourself

[Aidoneus]

8. um..

I am already quite familiar with the subject. I was asking for you to elaborate on your thoughts, if you actually have any.. don't exactly have a copy of that on the bookshelf that I could turn to. :eyes:

[Renew Deal]

10. If you know so much

Would you like to add something?

[Aidoneus]

12. Well, that's kind of what I was asking you..

And I did ask first.. I would be happy to add something when there is something to add to.

[Citizen Daryl]

5. So al-Sadr's not one of the "beheadists".</garofalo> n/t

:)

[Aidoneus]

9. Al-Sadr gives first sermon in two months

Al-Sadr gives first sermon in two months
Saturday 24 July 2004

Iraqi Shia leader Muqtada al-Sadr gave his first public sermon in nearly two months, criticising Iraq's interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi and the US-led occupation.

Aljazeera's correspondent reported that Al-Sadr was speaking to a large group of worshippers during Friday prayers at the Kufa mosque.

In his sermon, al-Sadr denounced the interim prime minister calling him an extension of the occupation.

"Damn him and damn the occupier," al-Sadr told the faithful, who gathered in the grand mosque in Kufa, 150km south of Baghdad.

--snip--
<an interesting bit>
Making reference to possible US plans to attack Syria or Iran, al-Sadr said he would not allow any attack on Iraq's neighbours from Iraqi territory.

He also condemned the beheading of foreign workers. Al-Sadr said the captors of the South Korean worker were not justified in beheading him.

<goes on to elaborate more..>

--snip--

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/4424B681-13CC-4745-B9DD-BEFDC596793B.htm